From Good to Bad to What?
by Friends Babe
Summary: what if Padraig had gone to fix the fuse...? *CHAPTER 3 UP!*
1. The Depression

I have always hated the ending to 3.11 so this is my version. Someone dies but you'll have to wait to find out who! (Not for long though). Hope you enjoy and please take the time to review thanks!!! ~Friends Babe~  
  
Assumpta smiled and walked along the bar. This was a turn up for the books! Everyone had used Brian's new chef to cook their food. Well, everyone but Peter. She looked up, she could hear his voice.  
  
"Can I have a word?"  
  
She nodded and went over to the end of the bar to join him. He smiled when he saw her and her heart lept.  
  
"I love you" he said looking into her eyes  
  
"Can you take that thing off before you say things like that" Assumpta said nodding in the direction of his clerical collar, which was making her feel very uncomfortable.  
  
"I can't help it" he said grinning cheekily  
  
"I know" she said smiling back. Just then the lights went off, great. Just what she needed.  
  
"I'll get it" shouted Padraig  
  
"No stay" she replied moving closer to the cellar, "I'll go"  
  
[Note-my bit starts now!!]  
  
"I insist" he said coming around to face her  
  
"Padraig" she said warningly  
  
"Assumpta" he said just as stubbornly " you've spent half the last week down in that cellar. I'll go"  
  
Assumpta went to reply but was interrupted by Brian  
  
"Will one of you please go. I can't see a thing"  
  
Assumpta sighed. "Fine, go" she answered eventually, "I'll have you a pint for when you get back up" she added  
  
She watched Padraig walk down into the cellar, then turned to Peter. She noticed him talking to Brendan at the opposite side of the bar. She smiled at the thought of him. She just couldn't wait for the start of her new life. She looked up as the lights came back on and started to cheer with the others. The cheer died in her throat when she heard a dull thud in the cellar, and the lights went out.  
  
"Padraig?" she shouted nervously, "Padraig?" when she got no answer she ran down into the cellar. Halfway down the stairs she turned towards the fuse box and almost screamed.  
  
Padraig was lying on the floor motionless. Assumpta ran to his side and dissolved into tears.  
  
"Peter!" she shouted upstairs, between sobs, "Peter!" then the tears took over  
  
Peter, on hearing Assumpta's voice, ran downstairs into the cellar. The scene in front of his was almost too much for him to bear.  
  
"Oh God" he managed as he eyes remained fixed on his friend. Suddenly his instincts took over, "Michael!" he shouted, "Get an ambulance!"  
  
As Michael ran downstairs and started the battle for Padraig's life, Peter walked over to Assumpta who was still softly crying nearby. His heart missed a beat as he saw how depressed she was.  
  
"Assumpta?" he asked gently, "are you ok?"  
  
She continued sobbing, but reached for his hand. The gesture was enough of an answer for Peter. Just then Michael's voice broke in.  
  
"I'm sorry. It's no good"  
  
"No!" screamed Assumpta launching herself at Michael, "do something, anything!"  
  
"I'm sorry Assumpta" replied Michael gently pushing her away.  
  
"God Padraig I'm so sorry" she whispered to her friend before falling into Peter's arms, no longer able to stop the tears.  
  
Later that night, as everyone stood outside Fitzgerald's saying goodbye to their favourite regular, Peter was still trying to comfort a distraught Assumpta. As he gently rocked her in his arms he felt a solitary tear slide it's way down his face. Assumpta blamed herself for this, he could tell.  
  
"Sshh" he said softly, "don't worry, it's not your fault"  
  
"It is!" she yelled, pulling away from him, "I told him to go down! I killed him" she stated before the tears came again.  
  
"No you didn't" he replied, trying to reassure her, "It's not your fault. Come on" he told her gently moving a piece of hair from her tear stained face. As he looked into her red ringed eyes he couldn't help but fall in love with her.  
  
"Are you OK now?" he asked quietly  
  
"No" she replied looking into his eyes, "I just killed one of my friends"  
  
Assumpta whished it was she in the ambulance. It was her pub, her stupid fuse box. It shouldn't be Padraig dead. It should be her. She felt Peter gently stroke her hair. 'God' she thought to herself. She was being so selfish. Padraig was Peter's friend to. She wasn't the only one who was upset and with Peter trying to comfort her he wasn't giving himself time to grieve. She forced a smile onto her face.  
  
"I'm fine," she said quietly, "fine"  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes"  
  
"See" he said, "It's not your fault"  
  
"Yeah try telling that to Kevin" he eyes suddenly widened, "Kevin!"  
  
Peter smiled at her faintly, "Brendan and Siobhan are with him. He'll be OK"  
  
Assumpta suddenly grabbed the phone and started dialling.  
  
"What are you.?"  
  
"Someone should tell Fionuala" she replied wiping her eyes.  
  
"Assumpta you don't have to." he started but was cut off when Fionuala answered  
  
"Fionuala? Hi it's Assumpta Fitzgerald.yes from Ballyk. Listen there's something you should know. There's been an accident.No, no, no Kevin's fine. It's Padraig. I'm sorry Fionuala he went to change the fuse.I'm so sorry he died instantly. I think Kevin might need his mum now. Ok I'll tell him. Bye" Assumpta put the phone down and felt a tear fall silently down her cheek. Suddenly she felt two arms glide gently around her waist. Assumpta allowed herself to be lost in the embrace. She enjoyed the warmth and when Peter started to kiss her neck she didn't stop him. She was only distracted when she heard a knock at the door. The pair jumped apart as Peter shouted  
  
"Come in"  
  
Authors note - I hope you all liked it and I will update it soon, possibly tomorrow. Please r&r thanks a lot! 


	2. Are you really sure?

Thanks for all the reviews. Yes I'd rather Padraig had died rather than Assumpta!! Hope you all like this part  
  
~Friends Babe~  
  
It was Niamh.  
  
"I'm sorry" she said gesturing to Assumpta, who still had tears running down her face, "But can I lend your phone?"  
  
"Of course" replied Assumpta, trying to regain her composure, "Why?"  
  
"Someone's got to tell Fionuala"  
  
"It's OK" replied Assumpta, "I've already rung. She's on her way over now"  
  
Niamh nodded then looked at Assumpta "Are you OK?" she asked worriedly  
  
"I'm fine" she said, convincing no one, "Just a little shaken"  
  
"I've got to get back to Kieran" Niamh said apologetically  
  
"Go" said Assumpta gesturing towards the door  
  
As Niamh walked out Peter turned to Assumpta. He bent down and kissed the top of her head before saying,  
  
"I'd better be going"  
  
Assumpta looked up at him quickly, the desperation reflecting in her eyes, "Please" she said," Stay"  
  
"Assumpta I don't think we are ready for that yet"  
  
"No" she said smiling slightly, "I just don't want to be alone tonight"  
  
Instead of answering he hugged her tight and guided her upstairs.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Later as she dozed softly in his arms Peter wondered if he was doing the right thing. He loved Assumpta, but a married woman and a Catholic Priest? It was like a film. And how would he provide for her? He'd been a priest almost all his life, he was trained in nothing. His train of thought was lost when Assumpta stirred in her sleep and rolled over awake.  
  
"Peter?" she asked quietly "Are you still here?"  
  
"I'm not going anywhere" he replied kissing her head "How are you feeling?"  
  
"Terrible. But not as bad as before. Now you're here"  
  
"I've always been here" he replied bemused  
  
"No, it just brought back a lot of memories from when my dad died. Padraig helped me through that and now he's gone" she said her voice breaking  
  
"Sshh" said Peter stroking her hair, "I'm here and I love you. You're not alone"  
  
"Thank you" she said kissing his cheek and whishing she had the courage to tell him the same. She rolled over smiling and fell asleep again.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The next morning Peter got up and walked down the stairs into the bar. As he entered the kitchen to make himself a drink he heard a knock at the door. Forgetting he had no shirt on he went and opened it. Father Mac glared at him.  
  
"I thought I might find you here" he spat, "I thought you might have taken your time before you moved in though"  
  
"I haven't moved in Fr. Not that it's any of your business. In case you hadn't noticed one of Assumpta's best friends died here last night. I though being her friends I should stay" Peter's disgust towards the man was clear in his voice.  
  
"I don't care for the details Father, or are you forgetting you're still a priest?"  
  
Peter didn't answer instead he turned and walked back into the kitchen.  
  
Fr Mac looked down at Peter and sighed, "I don't mean don't mean to pry Father, especially now of all times, but what are you planning to do?"  
  
"I'm not sure I understand."  
  
"What I mean Father is are you prepared for all the discrimination you relationship is going to cause. Is your 'love' strong enough to deal with that? Do you even know if she loves you? Are you even sure you love her?"  
  
Peter hesitated. 


	3. I just need to talk

Thanks for the reviews people! Keep 'em coming! This is probably only going to be short and you'll see why at the end. I've already written the ending for this but if you have any ideas for the middle please tell me in your review. Thanks!  
  
~Friends Babe~  
  
"Well?"  
  
"Of course she loves me. And we can get through this. Now if you don't mind.?" Peter pointed to the door. His message was clear. Fr Mac looked at him and saw himself 20 years earlier.  
  
"I'm always here you know" he told the young priest, " if you need to talk"  
  
Peter didn't know what to say. He just stood there as the elderly priest walked out. He was still stood there when Assumpta walked toward him a few minutes later.  
  
"Morning" she said, "I'd say good but."  
  
Peter looked at her. "I wish you'd stop blaming yourself for this. It was an accident that's all"  
  
"I wish" was all she said  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
Later on she went up to Peter and tapped him lightly on the shoulder.  
  
"Niamh wants to talk to you"  
  
Peter looked at her blankly until she added  
  
"It's about Padraig's funeral"  
  
Peter wished she hadn't said those words. He knew Niamh would want him to do the funeral, he just didn't think he could. He had believed in God all his life but never had he believed him to be as cruel as he had been lately. He had taken a life, a man with a teenage son and more friends than he could count and just taken it without any consideration for anything or anyone else. Peter had been watching Assumpta over the last few days and he knew that no God he had ever believed in could cause that much grief to one person. He knew Assumpta was hardly the epitaph of modern Christianity but he didn't think she deserved this much pain.  
  
"Peter?"  
  
He was jolted from his hatred by Assumpta's sweet voice in his ear. "Niamh's still waiting for you. She's up at St Josephs."  
  
Peter jumped up and gave Assumpta a quick hug before jogging up to St Josephs.  
  
While Peter was away Assumpta took the chance to clean the bar. She grabbed the cloth and was walking to the far side of the bar when she glanced at the cellar door. Her heart missed a beat as she thought of what had happened down there. She was lost in her own thoughts for a moment. She smiled sadly remembering Padraig. Just then the door opened.  
  
"We're closed" she said without looking up  
  
"I know" said Kevin, "I just need to talk"  
  
Authors Note - this is an extremely short chapter but it's really only here to give Assumpta a chance to talk to Kevin. What will she say to him? Find out next week (possibly) Thanks for reading please review and tell me if u have any ideas!  
  
Thanks ~Friends Babe~ 


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